The servant Branch arrived, almost late, and in a state of disrepair akin to a refugee from a battle zone. He would have been late, no doubt another aim of Kane, except he ran through the Citadel as though he was fleeing a dread creature hoard.

Elswith's knowledge of the Citadel's landscape, and its temperament, had proved invaluable. He knew, for example, that the O'Tell House was nearly near the Lagoon region and the Lagoon region bordered the Pine forest of the Castalas faction. Daniel was able to shave off several minutes of travel by cutting through the foliage and leaving the relative safety of the road. He had to use several such roundabouts to arrive in time.

So the Servant Branch, attendant of the O'Tells House, arrived disheveled, but on time. Had he been late, he would have been subject to punishment. Instead, he humbly accepted the O'Tell's House's own Surmount Butler wise biting critique and criticism. He had to because while the Surmount Butler was berating him, he behaved within bounds.

The Surmount Butler was everything that Lord Fredar was not. The polished fae was elegant, precise, and unmoving. While Lord Fredar had been careless, and Daniel was already working his way free of the bindings, the Surmount Butler of the O'Tell Family treated the servant Branch precisely as a servant, specifically an Attendant. And a servant with a dutiful master must attend his duties dutifully.

This meant Servant Branch, and Daniel by extension, had to stand there, seeping wet lagoon mud caking his boots, vest dusted with pine needles, and disheveled and spent from his time at the Sky Court, listening to his failures as a servant and how he had brought shame to the O'Tell household. Daniel at least had straightened his cravat before he had arrived. He may be in mortal peril, but at least he was somewhat presentable. It had been the only thing he had the power to change.

It had not been enough.

A servant girl had attempted to bring lunch, but the Surmount Butler, in all vainglory righteousness, had scorned her and rejected her attempts to bring in a covered tray. "The only food this Butler needs is to bring glory to the O'Tells Family! That is sustenance enough for all lowly servants."

Daniel's stomach had chosen that time to grumbled loudly, perhaps roused from its own apathy and despair to hope and imagine that food could be obtained.

"Let me tell you the virtues of our proud Family we serve!" The Surmount Butler said, after elegantly turning judging eyes at both the servant girl and then Daniel. And he did. Proudly, elegantly, pointedly, as though he had personally accomplished each feat. After several minutes the servant girl slinked away, and Daniel's stomach made more noise. This needing to eat thing was troublesome.

From there, the Surmount Butler had dithered about ‘new servants mustn’t embarrass the house’, and ‘new servants accept all criticism with a peaceful disposition’, as well as several more insulting gems such as ‘mustn’t make the House dirty’, somehow implying that Daniel’s very presence sullied the house by him merely existing there.

The sound of wet mud plopping to the ground accentuated the Surmount Butler's words as the mud finally dried enough to fall off of one of Daniel's boots. The proper fae sighed. "I am given an impossible task. Clean that up, and then take a bath. Your duty begins when the bells chime two, make all haste lest trouble befall you!" The Surmount Butler's voice rang in verse. Practically calling the Law of Fae to attendance.

Daniel couldn't even sigh, because that would be unbecoming behavior for a Hall Attendant. Daniel's bindings began to arc and arch like lightning dancing in the sky. He quelled his rebellious thoughts and mustered his own reply. "As you say, and let all mischief keep away." a rather bland response, but all he could muster.

The Surmount Butler made a slightly undignified sound and retreated away.

Daniel did his best to clean the mud, but without any cleaning supplies, it was almost pointless. But he gathered what he could and threw it away.

As soon as it was finished, a servant girl arrived and he was led away to the servant's bath.

The water was cold.

He sighed as his clothes were taken, everything except for his undergarments and the silk stockings. The undergarments were clean because the outer layers had taken the brunt of the damage. And he would not allow himself to ever be completely free of his clothes. Besides, watching his old garments being bundled and hurried off to be washed, Daniel felt sadness and regret. Even odds some accident would befall the garments. He had only had them for a few days, but at least they were his.

He made sure that the bandage wrapped around his arm was still bound tightly. There was no need for anyone to see the unsightly scab and its sickening color.

Daniel was left with a uniform, which made sense. This was the only post with a proper uniform, the other two just required he be decently but modestly dressed. The red color reminded him of his own, old formal wear for those times he needed to appear as the Heirling of the Red Sword. The material was a far cry from the imported silks and rich linen and brocade, but it was finer quality than anything he had touched in the last month. Red was his color, he chuckled to himself. He was finally away from the Red Lord, and yet red was so much his color one could even say it was even in his blood. Oh, the irony. His Lordly Father surely had a sense of humor.

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Tired and exhausted, Daniel found himself chuckling as he finished donning his coat, straightening the lapel, and buttoning his sleeves.

"Why are you laughing?" A reluctant voice interjected, as though it would rather be anywhere and dealing with anything than where and what he was.

A new fae had entered. He had actually entered several minutes ago. But he had not introduced himself, and Daniel has been midway through buttoning the many buttons of the vest and so deemed not to speak first. Daniel had successfully ignored the newcomer for several minutes until finally, the silence had been enough to prompt the interjection. Which meant Daniel won, as he hadn't spoken first. "As the poets say, either laugh or cry."

"The poets don't say that." the fae said again.

"Do you know all poets?" Daniel said, turning and facing the newcomer at last. "Nice to see you again," he said, with little meaning. "You may call me Branch. What may I call you?"

The newcomer must have hailed from Glasbin, given his ears. He was nearly exactly the same height, weight, and complexion as Daniel, but his hair was more dusty bark than ash blond and his ears protruded from his head at an acute angle. His eyes were shaped completely differently, brown and curving at the corners like he was perpetually smiling. Except the newcomer was not smiling at all, but hardly-just-barely-not-quite glowering. But everything else was nearly enough identical to Daniel.

"I'm not telling you my name. You can call me Glasbin if you must."

Daniel sighed, understanding at once. Hall Attendants were matched with someone as near an equal as possible. For parties, a Hall Attendant pair may open a set of doors, act as guides, or serve the guests together, one bearing the tray and one serving the guests. The wealthy houses enjoyed their luxuries. Some even had enough trained Hall Attendants that during formal banquets, there might be two Hall Attendant pairs serving a single diner in concert, so that the service was flawless and seamless. The better matched the two servants, the more the prestige. The most important aspect was that the servants be as similar as possible. Twins could make very good money in this field, as they were prized above nearly all others for this role.

Daniel sighed, and laced his new pattern leather black shoes with a slight heel. It was a popular elf style, but Daniel was no elf. But then again, this uniform was not created with him in mind, tailored to suit him perfectly. Instead, his purpose was to fill the uniform and perform his duty well.

Daniel regarded his new partner with an appraising eye "The O'Tells did a good job matching us. Not many people are as broad as me at my shoulders."

The Glasbin fae grimaced as if he found Daniel's entire presence offensive. “I spent four years working my way up from the kitchens, all the way to hall attendant. What are your qualifications?” For the Servant Class, Hall Attendant was a prestigious role. Those servants worked directly for and around the lords of Fae, and could have high opportunities for favors and advancements. With time, one might be assigned a full Attendant. It was the beginning of the good life, for any fae in the Servant Class.

For Elswith, it was so laughably lower than his former rank it was the difference between a puddle and the ocean.

For some reason, Daniel felt this fae had resentment against him. Curious. The glare seemed to indicate hostility. There were entire courts who despised Elswith so much that they twice attempted to have him removed before he was nine years old, and they had more pleasant facial expressions toward him than this fae. If the Glasbin fae felt free to be so negatively bent, there was little Daniel could do to lower hostilities. "I almost think you don't like me."

The fae pointed an accusing finger at Daniel. “And you get to just waltz in here and take my partner's spot? He got demoted to lesser Hall Attendant!”

“This humble one,” Daniel said, with a pointed look. The Law of Fae was almost listening, so Daniel removed the severity of his tone. “This humble one was also recently demoted. I believe you were in attendance the last time I graced this hall. And now here we are. Funny, the entropy that occurs in life.”

The fae looked like Daniel had just smacked him in the nose.

The bells of the clock chimed, fifteen minutes before the start of the new hour.

"Time to go. Would my kind partner assist me and instruct me in my new duties?"

The Glasbin fae was muttering under his breath but took the lead reluctantly.

So Daniel followed the Glasbin fae. The servants' area was rough and unfinished, with exposed beams and old creaking wooden floors, ancient walls sagging despite clusters of spells to support the ceiling. Daniel saw a notch in the wall, near the ground. He’d been here before when he was small and allowed to play with the O’Tell lordling for the first time. Young Lordling Elswith and Young Lordling Orville had promptly disobeyed the order to stay in the garden and instead tried to explore the servant’s areas for treasure. The Lordling children believed they had found treasure and tried to break through the wall. It was an ancient trap instead, and it required eight enforcers to seal it back up again. Daniel smiled despite himself. It was a good time in his life.

The Glasbin fae frowned when he noticed Daniel's steps slowed, but probably not understanding the danger of the potentially lethal trap trapped in the wall. “You better not make a scene. If you mess up, I’ll get in trouble.”

Daniel wondered how much trouble he would unleash if he set free the ancient trap, the Shadow of the Spinin Warbringer. That would cause a fair amount of chaos. "I agree. If I do 'mess up', you will be in trouble."

Glasbin grunted in annoyance, then made a shoeing motion. “Come along, then.”

He was in authority over Daniel, and his simple action pulled at the bindings. Left one hurt the worst. So that was the one that belonged to the O’Tells.

However, the Glasbin fae himself slowed dramatically right before the main chamber, spying out of the servant's passage and blocking Daniel. He made eye contact with someone unseen and nodded.

Daniel did not push but was not surprised when the Surmount Butler entered the servant's passageway a few seconds later, purposely not making eye contact with either of them.

Collusion then. Daniel felt he was understanding the dynamics. The Surmount Butler was to be the perfect authority figure, limiting what Servant Branch could achieve, but the Glasbin fae would poke and prod Daniel. Or lead him into a trap.

No matter how it appeared, there would be danger. The Surmount Butler could orchestrate endless scenarios, and use the Glasbin fae as his tool. Whatever reason, the Glasbin fae already despised Daniel, and was no doubt willing to be used as such an instrument of chaos. Whatever lay before Daniel was a trap. Whatever secret grudge no doubt festering, and all designs would be set against him.